The 'Hunger Games' actor is grateful to be alive as he regains his tastebuds after undergoing 'high-dose radiation and chemotherapy' to battle oral cancer.

• Oct 6, 2021

AceShowbiz - Stanley Tucci's tastebuds are only now coming back to life after a three-year battle with oral cancer.

The actor and cookbook author admits losing his sense of taste was devastating and led to him losing 30 pounds.

"I couldn't do surgery, because the tumour was too large... so high-dose radiation and chemotherapy are the only things that can help, and luckily the cure rate was very high," he told "Good Morning America" while promoting his new book, ironically titled "Taste".

"I was unable to eat solid food for six months, I lost 30 pounds and my tastebuds and saliva glands were destroyed, as was the inside of my mouth. It has taken, really, three years to get back to almost normal."

"That said, it's a small price to pay for being alive and to enjoy the company of my family."

Stanley recently revealed that many of the dishes that were cooked for him during the filming of his new cooking and travel series, "Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy", had to be thrown away - because he had no appetite.

"It was hard because at the time I could taste everything, but I couldn't necessarily swallow," he told the New York Times, revealing he struggled while eating a traditional steak florentina, "I had to chew it for 10 minutes to get it down my throat."

The 60-year-old actor is now reportedly in remission.